In this work, a far field imaging model based on the array structure of positive- and negative-refractive-index media and modulation subwavelength-gratings is firstly presented and is named as the multilayer far field superlens (MLFSL). This new lens is capable of producing optical images by enhancing evanescent waves to the far field. The principle of MLFSL is discussed in detail, and the necessary and sufficient condition for designing MLFSL is obtained. Simultaneously, off-axis illumination technology is introduced to MLFSL system to further improve super-resolution, and the transfer matrix which contains the incidence angles is obtained. The results demonstrate that, compared with other far field superlens, the subwavelength resolution of MLFSL has been enhanced. Such remarkable imaging capability of MLFSL promises new potential for nanoscale imaging and lithography.
2. Pendry, J. B., "Negative refraction makes a perfect lens," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 85, 3966, 2000.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.3966
3. Zhang, Y., T. M. Grzegorczyk, and J. A. Kong, "Propagation of electromagnetic waves in a slab with negative permittivity and negative permeability," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 35, 271-286, 2002.
doi:10.2528/PIER01081901
4. Srivastava, R., S. Srivastava, and S. P. Ojha, "Negative refraction by photonic crystal," Progress In Electromagnetics Research B, Vol. 2, 15-26, 2008.
doi:10.2528/PIERB08042302
5. Mahmoud, S. F. and A. J. Viitanen, "Surface wave character on a slab of metamaterial with negative permittivity and permeability," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 51, 127-137, 2005.
doi:10.2528/PIER03102102
6. Podolskiy, V. A., A. K. Sarychev, and V. M. Shalaev, "Resonant light interaction with plasmonic nanowire systems," Opt. Express, Vol. 11, 735, 2003.
doi:10.1364/OE.11.000735
7. Linden, S., C. Enkrich, M. Wegener, J. Zhou, T. Koschny, and C. M. Soukoulis, "Magnetic response of metamaterials at 100Terahertz," Science, Vol. 306, 1351, 2004.
doi:10.1126/science.1105371
8. Zhang, S., W. Fan, B. K. Minhas, A. Frauenglass, K. J. Malloy, and S. R. J. Brueck, "Midinfrared resonant magnetic nanostructures exhibiting a negative permeability," Phys. Rev. Lett., Vol. 94, No. 3, 2005.
9. Dolling, G., M. Wegener, C. M. Soukoulis, and S. Linden, "Negative-index metamaterial at 780 nm wavelength," Opt. Lett., Vol. 32, 53-55, 2007.
doi:10.1364/OL.32.000053
10. Lezec, H. J., J. A. Dionne, and H. A. Atwater, "Negative refraction at visible frequencies," Science, Vol. 316, 430, 2007.
doi:10.1126/science.1139266
11. Shi, L., L. Gao, S. He, and B. Li, "Superlens from metal-dielectric composites of nonspherical particles," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 76, No. 4, 045116, 2007.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.76.045116
12. Ambati, M., N. Fang, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Surface resonant states and superlensing in acoustic metamaterials," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 75, 195447, 2007.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.75.195447
13. Cai, W., D. A. Genov, and V. M. Shalaev, "A superlens based on metal-dielectric composites," Phys. Rev. B, Vol. 72, 193101, 2005.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.72.193101
14. Rao, X. S. and C. K. Ong, "Subwavelength imaging by a left-handed material superlens," Phys. Rev. E, Vol. 68, 067601, 2003.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.68.067601
15. Liu, Z., S. Durant, H. Lee, Y. Pikus, N. Fang, Y. Xiong, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Far-field optical superlens," Nano Letters, Vol. 7, No. 2, 403-408, 2007.
doi:10.1021/nl062635n
16. Lee, H., Z. Liu, Y. Xiong, C. Sun, and X. Zhang, "Design, fabrication and characterization of a far-field superlens," Solid State Communications, Vol. 146, 202-207, 2008.
17. Ramakrishna, S. A. and J. B. Pendry, "Imaging the near field," Journal of Modern Optics, Vol. 50, No. 9, 1419-1430, 2003.
18. Inazuki, Y. C., Analysis of diffraction orders including mask topography effects for OPC optimization, Proc. of SPIE on Optical Microlithography XX, Vol. 6520, 65204S, San Jose, CA, USA, 2007.
19. Cao, P., L. Cheng, and X. Zhang, "Vector hopkins model research based on off-axis illumination in nanoscale lithography," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 93, 291-306, 2009.
doi:10.2528/PIER09031702
20. Born, M. and E.Wolf, Principles of Optics, Pergamon Press, 1980.
21. Lee, K., H. Park, J. Kim, G. Kang, and K. Kim, "Improved image quality of a Ag slab near-field superlens with intrinsic loss of absorption," Optics Express, Vol. 16, No. 3, 1711-1718, 2008.
doi:10.1364/OE.16.001711
22. Pendry, J. B., A. J. Holden, D. J. Robbins, and W. J. Stewart, "Magnetism from conductors and enhanced nonlinear phenomena," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory. Tech., Vol. 47, No. 11, 1084-2075, Nov. 1999.
23. Feng, L., X.-P. Liu, M.-H. Lu, and Y.-F. Chen, "Phase compensating effect in left-handed materials," Physics Letters A, Vol. 332, 449-455, 2004.
doi:10.1016/j.physleta.2004.09.035
24. Pokrovsky, A. L. and A. L. Efros, "Lens based on the use of left-handed materials," Appl. Opt., Vol. 42, 5701-5705, 2003.
doi:10.1364/AO.42.005701
25. Xiong, Y., Z. Liu, and X. Zhang, "Far-field superlens imaging at visible wavelengths," SPIE Newsroom, 2008.
26. Durant, S., Z. Liu, J. M. Steele, and X. Zhang, "Theory of the transmission properties of an optical far-field superlens for imaging beyond the diffraction limit ," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, Vol. 23, No. 11, 2383-2392, 2006.
doi:10.1364/JOSAB.23.002383
27. Moharam, M. G., E. B. Grann, D. A. Pommet, and T. K. Gaylord, "Formulation for stable and efficient implementation of the rigorous coupled-wave analysis of binary gratings," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, Vol. 12, 1068-1076, 1995.
doi:10.1364/JOSAA.12.001068
28. Pandey, G. N., K. B. Thapa, S. K. Srivastava, and S. P. Ojha, "Band structures and abnormal behavior of one dimensional photonic crystal containing negative index materials," Progress In Electromagnetics Research M, Vol. 2, 15-36, 2008.
doi:10.2528/PIERM08021501
29. Moussa, R., S. Foteinopoulou, L. Zhang, G. Tuttle, K. Guven, E. Ozbay, and C. M. Soukoulis, "Negative refraction and superlens behavior in a two-dimensional photonic crystal," Physical Review B, Vol. 71, 085106, 2005.
doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.71.085106